Support for positioning a device for applying tape sections to articles and the articles in predetermined relationships

ABSTRACT

A support is disclosed providing predetermined positions for a device for applying a tape section to an article and predetermined positions for articles relative thereto. The support also has depressions enabling tape sections to be applied to the articles with free portions projecting from an edge thereof.

United States Patent Inventor Boris Kleld Newton Highlands, Mass. App]. No. 855,557 Filed Sept. 5, 1969 Patented Nov. 30, 197 I v Assignee Tapeler Corporation Newton, Mass. v

SUPPORT FOR POSITIONING A DEVICE FOR APPLYING TAPE SECTIONS TO ARTICLES AND THE ARTICLES IN PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIPS 20 Claims, 15 Drawing Figs.

Int. Cl 1332b 31/00 Field of Search 1561530,

[56] Reierences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 521,625 6/1894 Steelman 1 56/532 892,552 7/1908 Rexer 269/1 X 2,208,412 7/1940 Doniger.... 269/1 3,059,691 10/ 1962 Brundage 156/5 30 Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-G. E. Montone Auomey-Abbott Spear ABSTRACT: A support is disclosed providing predetermined positions for a device for applying a tape section to an article and predetermined positions for articles relative thereto. The

support also has depressions enabling tape sections to be applied to the articles with free portions projecting from an edge thereof.

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M 1 ATTOR EY nun-aq- SUPPORT FOR POSITIONING A DEVICE FOR APPLYING TAPE SECTIONS TO ARTICLES AND THE ARTICLES IN PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIPS The present invention relates to supports providing desired relationships between articles and a device for applying thereto a severed tape section from a roll of a pressure-sensitive tape.

Devices operable to form and apply a tape section of a predetermined length from a roll of tape of a pressure-sensitive, heat-sensitive, or a pressure-heat-sensitive type, either single or double faced, are disclosed in Letters US. Pat. No. 3,455,769. Such devices have a wide range of uses as they are easily operated and enable tape sections to be applied where needed. The tape sections are applied well within the area defined by the bottom edge of the housing of the device, necessitating care on the part of the user in positioning the device relative to the surface to which the tape section is to be applied. This factor limits the acceptance of the device, particularly in the case of operations that must be frequently repeated.

By way of example, the use of such tape sections, when the tape is of a double-faced type, has substantial advantages over paper clips and staples in collating, since they afford a better release and do not build up thicknesses in files the way clips and staples do. As collating operations are frequently performed in most offices, the time required to join the sheets and the ease and convenience of the operation, as compared with the use of paper clips and staples, are important consideratrons.

One objective of the present invention is to provide means enabling the device, and the sheet that is to receive the section of double-faced tape, to be quickly and easily positioned in a predetermined relationship, an objective attained by providing the rear portion of a support with seat means engageable with the housing of the device to provide a predetermined position thereof that is quickly and easily established and by providing the support with guide means defining a predetermined position for a sheet or other article relative to that of the device. It will be apparent that there are many uses of such a support with tape sections of both single and double-faced tapes.

There are also a number of other types of operations for which such devices are well suited but that require that a tape section be applied at a margin of a sheet or other article with a free portion protruding therefrom to be folded against the other face thereof, in card-coding and in reinforcing the margins of punched sheets, for example, and, in the case of sealing the free edges of folded material, to be folded against the outer face of the other section thereof.

Another objective of the present invention is, accordingly, to provide a support that will facilitate such operations, an objective attained by providing the support with a depression located and dimensioned to underlie the rear portion of a tape section applied by a device in its predetermined position with the sheet or other article positioned on the support with an edge abutting the front edge of the depression so that a portion of an applied tape section will overlie the depression and hence be unattached. Desirably, the support has guide means defining the correct position of the sheet or other article relative to the depression.

In practice, tape sections preferred for a wide range of uses are oblongs. As the lay of oblong tape sections may be in one direction for some uses and at right angles thereto for other uses, another objective of the invention is to provide the support with seat means establishing a second predetermined position for the device which is at right angles to its first position. Desirably, portions of the seat means are common to both portions and desirable guide means are also provided for use in positioning articles with reference to the second position of the device. In addition, it is preferred that the support have a depression located relative to the second position of the device so as to enable a tape section to be applied to the margin of a sheet or article abutting its forward edge with a portion overlying the depression and hence free to be subsequently applied to another surface.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown an embodiment of the invention illustrative of these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the support for the articles and the dispenser,

FIG. 2 is a like view showing the dispenser in one of its predetermined positions,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the support indicating portions of a card of one particular size supported thereon to have one margin provided with a tape section for coding purposes with the dispenser in its FIG. 2 position and with the card in any one of several predetermined positions,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of cards of that size illustrating the different positions of the tape section resulting from each card being placed in a different one of those positions,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a card of another particular size showing different positions of the tape sections resulting when cards of that size are placed in each of the above referred-to positions,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the support with the dispenser in the other of its predetermined positions,

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the relationship of the bottom edges of the device to the tape section it applies,

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the support indicating the function of its position-establishing seat portions when the dispenser is in the position shown in FIG. 2, 1

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of two sheets joined together by a tape section, the tape being double faced and the sheets being joined adjacent corresponding corners,

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but with the indicated dispenser position being that shown in FIG. 6,

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan view of the support and a sheet of the type having prepunched marginal holes and illustrating the application of a tape section for reinforcing one of them,

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the completed reinforcements,

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a folded sheet with its margins joined by tape sections,

FIG. 14 is a vertical, longitudinal section of the tape dispenser, and

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary, vertical transverse section thereof.

A work and dispenser support is generally indicated at 20. The features of the support are best understood by first considering a tape dispensing and applying device in accordance with US. Pat. No. 3,455,769 and generally indicated at 21 and detailed in FIGS. 12 and 13.

The device 21 has a housing 22 having an upwardly disposed boss 23 through which extends an actuating stem 24 of rectangular cross section and having a knob 25 fixed on its upper end. The housing has a hub 26 in rotatable support of the core 27 of a roll of tape 28 of a pressure sensitive tape. Desirably the hub 26 and the core 27 are of a type disclosed in the copending application of David G. Way, Ser. No. 798,852, filed Jan. 9, 1969. When the knob is depressed to the maximum extent against the action of the return spring 29, a tape section 30 of predetermined length is deposited on the subjacent surface. The tape sections 30, with the particular device shown, are oblongs.

A frame 31, see FIGS. 14 and 15, within the housing is releasably held by hangers 32 and has an axle 33 rotatable supporting a feed block 34. As the knob 25 is pushed downwardly, the hangers 32 are wedged apart by the sides of a stop 35, fixed on the stem 24, after the feed block 34 has been turned a quarter turn as by pawls 36 carried by the stop 35 and coacting with pins 37 at the corners of the block. After the frame is released, it is movable along the vertical path defined by its guide channels 38, upwardly by the springs 39 and downwardly when engaged by the sides of the stop 35. The tape from the tape roll 28 is trained about guide rollers and part way about the feed block 34, sticky side out. The feed block has headed pins 40 extending outwardly through each face and backed by the axle 33 except when a face is downwardly disposed, the axle having a cam recess 41 then permitting the pins 40 to recede. The frame 31 also supports a rotatable anvil 42 in a position to be engaged by a tapecovered corner of the feed block during each quarter turn and to sever the tape against the cutting edge that each comer establishes thus to provide a severed tape section 30 held by the pins 40 until pressed against a subjacent surface.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the tape sections 30 are deposited well within the boundary defined by the bottom edge of the housing 22, see FIG. 7. As a consequence, it is difficult to locate the device 21 to ensure that a tape section 30 will be applied exactly where it is wanted. For that reason, the longitudinal center line of the position of a tape section 30 is indicated by a notch 43 centrally of the bottom edge of the front part of the housing 22 and the transverse center line of that position is indicated by notches 44, one in the bottom edge of each side of the housing 22, see FIGS. 2 and 6.

There are many uses of a device 21 where, as previously stated it is desired to insure the accurate location of dispensed tape sections 30 with increased speed and greater convenience than is possible using the notches 43 and 44. In addition, there are many uses where it is necessary that the tape sections 30 be deposited with a free portion projecting from one edge of a sheet. It is for uses such as these that the support is particularly adapted.

The support 20 is shown as having a U-shaped boss, generally indicated at 45, adjacent its rear edge. The boss 45' includes a transverse portion 46 providing a straight-edged positioning shoulder 47 and end portions 48 and 49. The end portion 48 has straight-edged positioning shoulders 50 and 51 and the end portion 49 has straight-edged positioning shoulders 52 and 53. The shoulders 50 and 52 are disposed at right angles to the shoulder 47 and to the shoulders 51 and 53. The length of the shoulder 47 is such that the device 21 may be fitted lengthwise into the recess the shoulders 47, 50, and 52 define. The length of the end portions 48 and 49 is less than the width of the device and the end portion 49 is shorter than the end portion 48 for reasons that will presently be apparent.

The support 20 is also provided with bosses 54, 55, and 56 spaced inwardly from the shoulder 47 and the bosses 54 and 56 spaced from the end shoulders 48 and 49, respectively, to provide a U-shaped seat for the bottom edge of the housing 23 of the device establishing the first position of the device 21 when it is fitted in the space between the boss 45 and the bosses 54, 55, and 56 and thereby secured against accidental displacement. The first position of the device 21 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 8.

The height of the bosses 54, 55 and 56 is less than that of the boss 45 with the boss 54 being sufficiently narrow to be out of the path of the frame 31 of the device 21 and spaced from the boss 55 to permit the lower end of a guide channel 38 to be accommodated between them. The boss 55 is spaced relative to the boss 56 to enable the device to be fitted over them with the bottom edge of its housing 23 seated in the space between them and the shoulders 47 and 52 to provide a second position of the dispensing device 21 in which it is secured against accidental displacement. The second position of the device 21 is at right angles to its first position and is illustrated by FIGS. 8 and 10.

It is, of course, as important that the sheet or sheets to which the tape sections are to be applied are as precisely positioned as the device 21. For that reason and for certain operations, the support has a rectangular boss 57 adjacent its left-hand front corner presenting a straight-edged shoulder 58. A marker 59 is located substantially at the intersection of a guide line, preferably in the form of a slight ridge 60, extending as a continuation of the straight edge presented by the shoulder 58, and a like guide line 61 in alignment with the straight-edged shoulder 53 and the straight-edged shoulder 62 ofthe boss 56.

The support 20, as thus far described, enables sheets to be collated with maximum ease and convenience using a roll 28 of a double-faced type of tape. In operations of this type, see FIGS. 8 and 9, a sheet 63 is positioned by means of the guide lines.60 and 61 with its upper, left-hand corner centered by the marker 59 at their intersection. The device 21 is then placed in its first position and actuated to apply a tape length 30A to the sheet 63. The device 21 may then be removed and a second sheet releasably secured thereto by pressing its upper left-hand comer against the tape section 30A.

For operations where tape sections 30 are to be applied along the upper edges of articles for coding purposes, a 3 inch X5 inch file card 65, see FIGS. 3 and 4, or a 5 inch 8 inch file card 66, for example, the straight-edged shoulder 51 is in alignment with the front edge of a rectangular depression 67 whose length is slightly greater than the length of a tape section 30 but whose width is slightly in excess of one-half of the width thereof. Thus, when a card is held with an edge against the shoulder 51 it abuts the front edge of the depression 67 so that the actuation of the dispensing device 21 results in a tape section 30 being placed on the card with about one-half of its width protruding therefrom and overlying the depression 67 and hence free so that it may then be folded over the edge of the card and secured to the other side thereof.

As it is often desired that the codings be offset, the support 20 has a series of positioning corners marked A, B, C, and D. These are spaced apart by the length of a tape section 30 so that there are four, nonoverlapping positions for the tape section 30 relative to the cards, provided a different corner is used to position them. The larger cards 66 have tape sections 30 applied in the same manner for coding purposes, see F IG.

Other operations for which the support 20 is especially designed are the reinforcement of paper sheets having prepunched holes spaced along their margins and the reinforeement of the margins of the sheets where holes are subsequently to be punched. These operations are performed with the device 21 in its second position.

The support 20 has a rectangular depression 68 located along the center line of the device 21 in its second position with its front edge, the transverse center line of a tape section 30 applied by the device when in that position. The width of the depression 68 is slightly greater than that of the tape section 30 and its length is slightly greater than one-half the length of such a section. Centrally of the area of the support 20 that would be covered by a tape section 30 applied by the device 21 in its second position, there is a small, circular depression marked No. 3.

The sheet 69, see FIGS. 11 and 12, is to be provided with reinforced holes 70, which must, of course, be accurately located. For that reason, the support 20 is provided with guide lines desirably in the form of ridges 71 in alignment with the front edges of the opening 68, one on each side thereof and guide lines, also desirably in the form of ridges 72 extending at right angles thereto to define corner guides, one marked No. 1 and the other marked No. 2. With the edge of the sheet 69 that is to have holes formed therein disposed towards the rear of the support 20, first one corner thereof is positioned by one comer guide, a tape section 30 applied and folded over against the other side of the sheet 69 and then the other corner of the sheet is positioned by means of the other comer guide and the reinforcing operation repeated. Holes 70 may then be punched through the reinforced areas.

The procedure in the case of a sheet having prepunched holes is somewhat the same except the sheet is positioned by placing each hole to be reinforced over the depression marked No. 3. A tape section 30 is then applied with the device 21 in its second position. The sheet is then removed and the free portion of the thus applied tape section is then folded over against the other side of the sheet. When the holes of that sheet have been thus reinforced, they are then repunched.

Another operation that requires that a tape section 30 be applied with a free portion protruding from an edge is in the sealing of the edges of folded material, the folded card 73 shown in F IG. 13, for example. In this operation, the free edge of one portion of the card is placed substantially along the line established by the guide ridges 71, a tape section 30 is then applied with its free portion then folded over and pressed against the other portion of the card to seal the free edges together.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the support provides not only for predetermined positions of the device 21 but also provides for the accurate position of the articles relative to the device 21 for quickly, easily, and accurately performing a range of operations of which the foregoing are representative.

I claim:

1. A support for use in applying a tape section marginally of a rectangular article such as a card or sheet with a dispenser having a housing within which there is a member movable into and out of contact with a subjacent surface and on such contact depositing a tape section thereon, said support including seat means at the rear of the support including portions engageable with the housing of the dispenser to provide a predetermined position of the device and having guide means defining a position for an article in which a selected portion thereof is positioned relative to the seat means to receive a tape section from the dispenser when placed on the support with its housing in engagement with said portions.

2. The support of claim 1 in which a portion of the seat means includes a transverse shoulder adjacent one side of the support and the support includes a boss adjacent the diagonally opposite corner providing a lengthwise shoulder, the shoulders being guide means.

3. The support of claim 1 in which the position defined for the article is for a corner thereof.

4. The support of claim 1 in which the support has a depression located and dimensioned to underlie a rear portion of a tape section delivered by the device in its predetermined position whereby an article positioned on the support with an edge abutting the front edge of the depression may have a tape section applied thereto with a free portion protruding from that edge said dispenser being wholly within the area defined by the guide means.

5. The support of claim 4 in which an end portion of the seat means includes a transverse shoulder substantially in alignment with the front edge of the depression.

6. The support of claim 5 in which the opposite end portion of the seat means includes a transverse shoulder as part of the guide means.

7. A support for use in applying a tape section marginally of a rectangular article such as a card or sheet with a dispenser having a housing within which there is a member movable into and out of contact with a subjacent surface and on such contact depositing a tape section thereon, said support including seat means at the rear of the support including portions engageable with the housing of the dispenser to provide a predetermined position of the device and having a depression located and dimensioned to underlie a rear portion of a tape section delivered by the device in said position whereby an article positioned on the support with an edge abutting the front edge of the depression may have a tape section applied thereto with a free portion protruding from that edge.

8. The support of claim 7 and guide lines for establishing the ridges.

12. The support of claim 7 in which portions of the seat means are engageable with the housing to establish a second position of the device at right angles to the first position thereof.

13. The support of claim 12 in which there is also a depression located and dimensioned to underliea rear portion o f a tape section delivered by the device in its second position whereby an article positioned on the support with an edge abutting the front edge of the second depression may have a tape section applied thereto with a free portion protruding from that edge.

14. The support of claim 13 and guide lines for establishing the position for the edge of the article that is to receive the tape section when the device is in its second position.

15. The support of claim 14 in which the guide means are lines in the form of a plurality of transversely spaced oppositely disposed right angles, each for a corner of the article and providing a different transverse position thereof, one right angle on each side of the second depression.

16. The support of claim 13 in which the guide lines are ridges.

17. The support of claim 15 in which there is a marker centrally of the area of that portion of a tape section applied to an article by the device in its second position.

18. The support of claim 12 in which the seat means includes a Ushaped portion dimensioned to receive the device when disposed lengthwise between its ends and a plurality of portions within it but spaced therefrom to provide a seat for the housing of the device in its first position, one of the last named portions being spaced from the others and from one end of the U-shaped portion and the included section of the intermediate part thereof to provide a seat for the housing of the device in its second position.

19. The support of claim 18 in which one end of the U- shaped portion terminates in a straight-edged shoulder substantially in alignment with the forward edge of the first named depression.

20. The support of claim 18 in which one end of the U- shaped portion terminates in a transverse, straight-edged shoulder adjacent one corner of the support and the support has a boss adjacent the diagonally opposite corner providing a straight-edged shoulder at right angles to the first straightedged shoulder defining positioning lines intersecting rearwardly of the depressions.

i t i 

2. The support of claim 1 in which a portion of the seat means includes a transverse shoulder adjacent one side of the support and the support includes a boss adjacent the diagonally opposite corner providing a lengthwise shoulder, the shoulders being guide means.
 3. The support of claim 1 in which the position defined for the article is for a corner thereof.
 4. The support of claim 1 in which the support has a depression located and dimensioned to underlie a rear portion of a tape section delivered by the device in its predetermined position whereby an article positioned on the support with an edge abutting the front edge of the depression may have a tape section applied thereto with a free portion protruding from that edge said dispenser being wholly within the area defined by the guide means.
 5. The support of claim 4 in which an end portion of the seat means includes a transverse shoulder substantially in alignment witH the front edge of the depression.
 6. The support of claim 5 in which the opposite end portion of the seat means includes a transverse shoulder as part of the guide means.
 7. A support for use in applying a tape section marginally of a rectangular article such as a card or sheet with a dispenser having a housing within which there is a member movable into and out of contact with a subjacent surface and on such contact depositing a tape section thereon, said support including seat means at the rear of the support including portions engageable with the housing of the dispenser to provide a predetermined position of the device and having a depression located and dimensioned to underlie a rear portion of a tape section delivered by the device in said position whereby an article positioned on the support with an edge abutting the front edge of the depression may have a tape section applied thereto with a free portion protruding from that edge.
 8. The support of claim 7 and guide lines for establishing the position for the edge of the article that is to receive the tape section.
 9. The support of claim 8 in which the guide lines are in the form of a plurality of transversely spaced right angles, each for a corner of the article and providing a different transverse position thereof.
 10. The support of claim 9 in which the right angles are oppositely disposed and are adjacent opposite ends of the depression.
 11. The support of claim 8 in which the guide lines are ridges.
 12. The support of claim 7 in which portions of the seat means are engageable with the housing to establish a second position of the device at right angles to the first position thereof.
 13. The support of claim 12 in which there is also a depression located and dimensioned to underlie a rear portion of a tape section delivered by the device in its second position whereby an article positioned on the support with an edge abutting the front edge of the second depression may have a tape section applied thereto with a free portion protruding from that edge.
 14. The support of claim 13 and guide lines for establishing the position for the edge of the article that is to receive the tape section when the device is in its second position.
 15. The support of claim 14 in which the guide means are lines in the form of a plurality of transversely spaced oppositely disposed right angles, each for a corner of the article and providing a different transverse position thereof, one right angle on each side of the second depression.
 16. The support of claim 13 in which the guide lines are ridges.
 17. The support of claim 15 in which there is a marker centrally of the area of that portion of a tape section applied to an article by the device in its second position.
 18. The support of claim 12 in which the seat means includes a U-shaped portion dimensioned to receive the device when disposed lengthwise between its ends and a plurality of portions within it but spaced therefrom to provide a seat for the housing of the device in its first position, one of the last named portions being spaced from the others and from one end of the U-shaped portion and the included section of the intermediate part thereof to provide a seat for the housing of the device in its second position.
 19. The support of claim 18 in which one end of the U-shaped portion terminates in a straight-edged shoulder substantially in alignment with the forward edge of the first named depression.
 20. The support of claim 18 in which one end of the U-shaped portion terminates in a transverse, straight-edged shoulder adjacent one corner of the support and the support has a boss adjacent the diagonally opposite corner providing a straight-edged shoulder at right angles to the first straight-edged shoulder defining positioning lines intersecting rearwardly of the depressions. 